Somalia: President Hassan Sheikh hosts former leaders in Mogadishu

MOGADISHU, Somalia - As a strategy to collaborate with various leaders including those who served before, Somalia President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has opened a meeting with a host of politicians in the capital Mogadishu, an event which comes at the time the country is determined to defeat Al-Shabaab.

President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud is hosting former leaders for a consultative meeting where the fight against Al-Shabaab and the security of the country will feature when as Somalia pushes to commit itself to state-building.

''Today I have chaired a consultation meeting with #Somalia's former political leaders and actors to discuss the future direction of our country. I thank them for their participation in this important meeting and I look forward to positive discussions,'' said Mohamud.

The consultative meeting brings on board not only former leaders but also current members of the National Consultative Council [NCC], parliamentary leadership and former regional presidents who served various states at some point in the past.

Besides security and the economy, state media adds, the meeting will be used by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud to pick counsel from the leaders on managing the affairs of the country, particularly on the political front. Somalia is intending to change the constitution.

Proposals approved by the cabinet if adopted, would see Somalia shift from a parliamentary to presidential model where leaders will be elected directly by the people. For a long time, Somalia has used a traditional and clan-based model which is archaic and unpopular in the country.

When he seized power last year, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud insisted on collaboration in leadership for the country to get rid of ghosts of the civil war and the current Al-Shabaab menace. The Al-Shabaab militants have been fighting to topple the fragile UN-backed federal government of Somalia.

The meeting also comes at the time Somalia is plotting the final assault on Al-Shabaab militants with the target being Jubaland and Southwest states of Somalia. Already, the security forces have started mapping the area as they plan for systematic and uninterrupted operations.

GAROWE ONLINE